The vast majority of you reading this post will never face homelessness, but the sad reality is that in the United States alone, over half a million people will face homelessness tonight. According the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, in 2009 about 672,000 people experienced homelessness each night, 42% of which had no shelter. 37% were families, most commonly single mothers with a child or two.
Fortunately we have seen an abundance of homelessness innovations geared at solving the issue in urban settings, empowering the homeless and giving the voice, and making nights on the street more bearable. Among the homelessness innovations are creative guerilla ads to drive awareness, soup kitchens for pets, barista training for homeless youth, buy-one-give one comforters, and an errand running service designed to employ the homeless. There is also plenty of photography, taken to share stories and drive awareness.
67 Homelessness Innovations

66
Real-Life Street Kid Portraits
Photographer Adam Taylor Takes Portraits of NYC Street Kids

65
Mobile Homeless Homes
The Paul Elkins Shelter is Almost Too Cozy Looking

64
Sturdy Refugee Residences
The NIDO Portable Shelter is an Efficient, Effective Homeless Refuge
63
Penniless Promotions
Homeless Branded as Living Advertisements
62
Cardboard Origami Shelters
The Tine Hovsepian 'Cardborigami' Unfolds for the Homeless
61
Humanizing Street Shoots
Alex Welsh Exposes the Struggles of the Impoverished
60
Credit Crunch Prefabs
The L41 Home is Designed for Uneasy Economic Times
59
Guerilla Socialvertising
The Alex Seo Crisis Campaign Creates Awareness Through Startling Imagery
58
Homeless Photographers
The Trecho 2.8 Project Turns the Lens onto Another Reality
57
Cuddly Collapsable Igloos
The Georgi Djongarski I-Gloobox for Vagabonds is a Luxury Street Home
56
Homeless Hipster Shoots
The Original Hipster is a Social Commentary on Wealth and Class
55
Multipurpose Portable Shelters
The Famiglia Grande Helps Families on Their Road to Recovery
54
Egg Shaped Eco Abodes
Daihai Fei Builds a Sustainable Mobile Home in Beijing
53
Sinking Street Ads
The SAMU Social Campaign Brings Awareness to Homelessness
52
Homeless Sleeping Pods
The Urban Catepillar by Abby Brazier Shelters the Less Fortunate
51
Inflatable Homeless Shelters
The ParaSITE Project
50
Incisive Homeless Portraits
Oak Thitayarak's 'Walk On By' Series is Poignantly Real
49
Street Life Awareness Campaigns
Jan Moucha's Subversive Homelessness Posters
48
AIDS Art Shelters
The Social Art Box Project By Aakash Nihalani in NYC
47
Poverty-Focused Graffiti
Michael Aaron Williams Comments on the Global Homeless Epidemic
46
Activist Street Art
Fauxreel's 'The Unaddressed' Addresses Homelessness in Toronto
45
Tents on Wheels
Journeyman Mobile Shelter Bicycle Trailers Offer Tow-Behind Shelter
44
Guerrilla Poverty Ads
Homeless Father Bob Bins
43
Homeless-Care iPhone Apps
The iHobo App Gives You a New Perspective on Street-Living
42
Versatile Homeless Shelters
Veronika Scott Creates a Wearable Shelter for Those Who Need it Most
41
Pavement Bedsheets (UPDATE)
The Le-Trottoir Lets You Experience Homelessness at Home
40
One for One Blankets
The Company Store Gives Comforters to Homeless Children
39
Alternative Homeless Shelters
The EDAR Project Provides Mini Mobile Units
38
Soup Kitchens for Pets
The Animal Board
37
Vagabond Villas
Beautiful Spring Gardens is a Scintillating Shelter for the Homeless
36
Heartbreaking Homeless Robot Sculptures
'No-Botty' by David Emmite Predicts Bleak Machine Futures
35
Homeless Kidtography
'Abandoned' by Coral Fletcher Captures an Orphaned Child
34
Guerrilla Campaign for Homeless
Vitae Shelters
33
Heat Map of the Homeless
Can You Say Big Brother?
32
Traffic Cone Stages
Hedgehog Concert Pavilion Raises Awareness to Youth Homelessness
31
A mobile "home" for the homeless
they deserve some design too!
30
Heartfelt Personalized Art Kits
'Chloe's Magic Box' by Samia Kallidis Gives Hope to Homeless Kids
29
The Urban Shell Shelter for the Homeless
28
Homeless Emotionography
Keith Harris Looks Into the Souls of the Unfortunate in ‘On the Stre
27
Education Springboards
Juma Ventures Helps Youth in California Enter College
26
Homeless Bedtography
Ryann Ford's 'Where the Homeless Sleep' Shoot for Twelve Baskets Magazine
25
Charitably Chic Pieces
KNO Clothing is a One-for-One Donating Attire for Every Purchase Made
24
Vagabond Ventures
Swags for Homeless Supplies Displaced Residents with Mobile Housing
23
Homeless Internet Sensations
Panhandler Ted Williams Beats the Streets from One Viral Video
22
Graffitisements
Street Art Used in Canadian Youth Services Centre Ads
21
Pedal-Powered Libraries
Street Books Delivers Literature to Portland's Homeless
20
Cardboard Box Beds
Nikolay Suslov Designs for Nomads and the Homeless
19
Foreign Homeless Photomentaries
Christian Burkert Captures Homelessness in an Immaculate Culture
18
Street-Smart Campaigns
The Homeless Banner Campaign by Garbergs Brings Shelter to Those in Need
17
Virtuously Veritable Dining
The Hoxton Apprentice Serves Feel-Good Meals
16
Challenge-Based Charity Sites
'Do Whatever It Takes' Site Has People Doing Anything for Pledges
15
Online Promos for Panhandlers
"Pimp This Bum!" Helps Houston Homeless Man
14
Street Kid Barista Schools
Homeless Youth Get a Shot at Coffee-Making Jobs
13
Social Street Papers
Real Issues Magazine Empowers Communities Marginalized by Poverty
12
Homeless Cocoon Shelters
This Nifty Hwang Kim Design Offers Discrete, Portable Outdoor Protection
11
Globetrotting Hobotography
Mike Stewart Photographs the World's Homeless
10
Microloans for Homelessness?
Beyond the Cardboard Shares Stories, Interviews and Resources
9
Homeless Public Transit
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Gives Homeless Free Rides
8
Robots For The Homeless
Transformer Guerrilla Sleeping Spaces For the Shelterless
7
Pioneering Apprenticeship Programs
Fifteen Restaurant Offers Opportunities to Disadvantaged Youth
6
Homeless Errand Services
Task Turtle Lets the Homeless and Elderly Claim Odd Jobs
5
Compassion Through Metaphors
Brazilian Organization Uses Comparisons for the Homeless
4
Indigent Interns
Elle Magazine Offers Internship to Homeless Girl
3
Female-Focused Enterprises
Women's Bean Project Creates Jobs with Jewelry & Gourmet Food
2
Gourmet Do-Good Brownies
Greyston Bakery is a Social Enterprise
1
Recyled Computer Abodes
Bill Thomson and Ken Gerberick Create a Tech-Inspired Homeless Shelter
Related Ideas
Japanese-Inspired Portable Tiny Homes
Baluchon Designs the Portable Bonzai Tiny Home
Multifunctional Micro-Camper Vans
The Toyoya Kayoibako Prioritizes Flexibility
Ultra-Compact Tiny Houses
This Tiny House Design by Levi Kelly is Posited as the World's Smallest
Wagon-Inspired Compact Rustic Homes
Artisan Tiny Homes Designs the Compact Gypsy
Human-Quality Dog Beds
Hooman Debuted a First-of-Its-Kind Collection of Pet Beds
Trauma-Informed Interior Designs
IKEA Introduces Trauma-Informed Tiny House for Seniors
Modular Tech-Packed Camper Vans
The Outside Van Overnight Model Converts to Sleep Four Adults
Stress-Reducing Garbage Initiatives
The Hefty Brand Launches its 'Trash Time Out' Campaign
Modular Storage-Equipped Pet Sofas
The Conceptual Grid Sofa from Sunriu Design is Multifunctional
Refined Off-Grid Trailer Homes
The Living Vehicle GT39 is Chicly Appointed
Utility-Friendly Camper Vans
The Orion 365 Offers Space for Up to Five People
Well-Appointed Floating Tiny Homes
The 'Fang Song' Floating Tiny Home is Solar-Powered
Nature-Connecting Warm Apartments
Baranowitz + Kronenberg Designs the Urban Refuge Apartment
Pop-Up Solar Panel Campers
The Ford Transit Custom Nugget Camper Van Has Space for Five
Spaciously Cozy Homes
This Off-Grid Tiny Home Offers Efficiently Laid-Out Floorspace
New Yorker-Approved Campaigns
New York’s StreetEasy Urges You to Never Become a Former New Yorker
Senior-Friendly Tiny Homes
This Home from Dragon Tiny Homes is Great for Downsizing
Off-Grid Timber Tiny Homes
The 'Horta' Tiny House Has 107-Square-Feet of Living Space
Emergency Shelter Robot Companions
The 'POWER HUG' Robot Concept Offers Warmth and Comfort
DIY Pretzel Cabins
Snyder's Pretzel Cabins Put a Salty Spin on Gingerbread Houses
Outdoor Dining Kits
Savour Helps Campers and Hikers Dehydrate Their Home-Cooked Meals
High-Quality Electric Micro Homes
The Cosmic ONE Gets New Upgrades with Premium Components
Pet-Accommodating Bed Frame Designs
Liam de la Bedoyere Designs the Wooden Dog Hut Bed
QSR Hunger Initiatives
Starbucks Expands FoodShare Program with Customer Participation Options
Sizable Laundry Donation Campaigns
Bath & Body Works Donates Its Products to Two Non-Profits
Space-Conscious Compact Homes
Baluchon Introduces a Look at the Midgard Tiny Home
Separate Dwelling Tiny Houses
The Elba_91 Tiny House Has Two Living Spaces to Maximize Usage
Transforming Beach-Ready Camping Trailers
The Hobby Beachy 420+ Helps Revive Beach Culture
Futuristic Imaginative Design Concepts
Toyota Introduces the Unique E-Collection of Products
Extreme Space-Saving Architecture
A 74-Square-Foot Apartment is Redefining Urban Living
Contemporary Sustainable Tiny Homes
The Cosmic ONE is Offered in Three Compact Home Layouts
Portable Wheel-Based Green Homes
Dwellii Designs the Tiny House of Wheels on a Double-Axle Trailer
Plastic Intervention Programs
Cleancult's Program Helps Households Make Sustainable Changes
Minimal Mid-Century Hollywood Homes
Studio Qasabian Designs the Mulholland Home in LA
Meditative Trash Campaigns
Hefty's Trash Time Out Provides Support During the Holiday Season
Curated Design Initiatives
Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity Launches The Curious 100 List
Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads
This New McDonald’s Campaign Encourages Eating at Home
Minimalist Adventurer Tiny Homes
The Noyer Tiny House On Wheels Prioritizes Sustainability
Taco-Themed Dorm Makeovers
Taco Bell's Tacommodation Initiative Restyled a Student Flat
Upgraded Off-Grid Tiny Homes
Minimaliste Designs the Nomad 30 Small Home with Improved Interior
Lunar Lander-Inspired Tents
The Kudhva Kanvas K-Tent is Made with Recycled Aluminum
Soup Giveaway Campaigns
Heinz Launches a New Soup Giveaway Campaign with Sam Thompson
Advanced Home Hospital Beds
Opera Beds Champions Comfortable Aging-In-Place
Sustainable Solar-Powered Homes
Tiny Solar Homes Designs the Wanda Compact Home
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Two-Person Seesaw Benches
Movember's A Problem Halved Bench Inspires Mental Health Conversations
Innovative Outdoor Advertising Campaigns
Unilever's Dirt is Good Turns Billboards into Playgrounds
Compact Affordable Portable Homes
Stanley Tiny Homes Creates the Rogue Tiny House
Human-Grade Pet Food Campaigns
The Honest Kitchen Debuts a Pet Parenthood Campaign
Coffee Kindess Initiatives
Cambio Roasters Launches Random Act of Kindness Week Campaign
Sleep Poverty Awareness Campaigns
Ikea Canada Introduces the Sleepless Lamp Calmpaign
Sustainable Portable Cat Shelters
The Batsy Cat Shelter by Burcu Nehir Tüm Offers Comfort
Cannabis-Branded Food Fundraising Campaigns
Curaleaf Launches Its 'Feed the Block' Campaign
Virtual Community Kitchens
Mission: Hunger Helps Kids Solve Real-World Hunger Through Play
Street-Food Stall Furniture Designs
Jhanyar Designs the New GaGeeNang Collection
Affordable Housing Prototypes
Harshit Singh Kothari and Tanvi Jai Complete the Tiny House
Compact Net-Zero Australian Homes
Anderson Architecture Designs the Pocket Passive House
Co-Branded Sleep Studies
IKEA U.S. Partnered with the National Sleep Foundation
Domestic Awareness Campaigns
IKEA Australia Presents the This is Not a Home Campaign
Satirical Political Campaigns
The Thoughts & Prayers Toilet Paper Campaign Calls Out Inaction
Complimentary Soup Trucks
The Good Humor Soup Truck is Sharing Free Soup in NYC
Modern Mobile Fridge Concepts
Junho Han Designs the Amity Relationship Mobile Fridge Concept
Micro-Living Portable Homes
Modern Tiny Living Creates the Buttercup Tiny Home for Hosting
Pop Culture-Inspired Rentals
Airbnb Unveils the New 'Icons' Experiences for Short-Term Guests
Spacious On-the-Road Homes
Minimaliste Designs the Nomad Tiny House for Off-Grid Adventures
Children's Food-Insecurity Campaigns
Subway's Never Miss A Lunch Campaign Is Set to Relaunch
Stuttering Awareness Initiatives
The Canadian Stuttering Association & john st. Launch a Campaign
Festival-Focused Toilet-Sharing Initiatives
The HEMA Home Toilet Initiative is Unique
Collaborative Soup Branded Outerwear
Campbell’s x Parks Project Winter Warmth Collection is Cozy
3D-Printed Housing Communities
The Community First! Village Will Have 100 Homes
Sustainably Handcrafted Bag Initiatives
The Tote of Hope Supports the Sheltersuit Foundation
Digital Food Insecurity Platforms
Community Food Centres Canada Introduces Food Security Now
Apartment-Like Compact Portable Homes
Frontier Tiny Homes Designs the Felicity 10′ Wide Home
Creative Cancer Awareness Campaigns
F Cancer Debuts the 'Pick Up Your Poop' Campaign
Urban Waste-Made Furniture
Javier Guzmán Cervantes and Ex Soup Join on an Exhibition
Educational Affordable Housing Initiatives
Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington is Uniting Youth
Upcycled Vegetable Cooking Sauces
Oddbox Fights Food Waste by Repurposing Rescued Tomatoes
Living Condition Awareness Dollhouses
IKEA's UNWELCOME HOME Doll House Brings Awareness
Food Bank Delivery Programs
Skip Partners with Food Banks Canada for At-Home Donation Pickups
Artful Illusory Ads
giffgaff's Large-Scale Illusion Artwork Challenges Inattentional Blindness
Nourishing Community Food Trucks
The Barilla Connection Kitchen Truck Shares Meals & Awareness
Rental App Holiday Campaigns
Airbnb Presents its Santastrophe Campaign Following Santa Claus
Veteran-Supporting Grocery Deliveries
This Instacart Pilot Program Supports Low-Income Veterans
Fakeaway Meal Hotlines
Kitchen Joy's FixMyOrder Helps Consumers Avoid Food Delivery Disasters
Mobile Harm Reduction Initiatives
Care Resource Strives to Protect the Public with the SPOT
Wasteful Fashion Campaigns
Vestiaire Collective Reminded People to Shop Mindfully on Black Friday
Hybrid Community Supermarkets
The After Market is a Grocery Store and a Food Pantry
Flying Umbrella Prototypes
This Hands-Free Device Hovers Above You to Protect From the Rain
Social Connection-Focused Initiatives
Meals on Wheels America Combats Loneliness Among Seniors
Loneliness-Combating Social Campaigns
Hinge Launches the New One More Hour Campaign and Fund
Pet-Equality Campaigns
Pet Ownership Rights Take Center Stage in Innovative Campaign
Clever Elegant Compact Homes
Vagabond Haven Designs the Honey 216 Tiny Home Measuring 12.9 Feet
Branded Warm Clothing Donations
UNIQLO Stands Out with Its Heart of LifeWear Initiative
Space-Saving Tiny Homes
Levi Kelly Designs a Space-Conscious Compact Home on a Single-Axle Trailer
Social Justice Desert Campaigns
Ben & Jerry's 'Make Some Motherchunkin' Change' Campaign Debuted
Friendship-Focused Election Campaigns
Flash Pack Has Introduced The Friendship Bus
Underutilized Property Revitalization Projects
Thrive Living Focuses on Underutilized Properties
Prison-Converted Affordable Houses
CookFox Architects Showcases Plans to Create New Housing
Student-Focused Taco Kits
Taco Bell Launches the New 'S.O.S' Kit for College Students
Need-Based Public Fundraising Initiatives
The Salvation Army Urges Public Support in New Campaign
Off-Grid Mountain Shelter Designs
Hugh Broughton Architects & Rick Owens Join for a Genius Show
Compact Six-People Portable Homes
Mint Tiny House Company Designs the Loft Ruby Edition
At-Home Cocktail Campaigns
Gordon's Many Evenings In Campaign Spotlights At-Home Drinking
Food Insecurity-Targeting Initiatives
Hormel Foods Expanded Its Efforts During Hunger Action Month
Emergency Refuge Shelter Replicas
VluchtelingenWerk Nederland Opened Hotel AZC to Raise Awareness
Park-Inspired Outdoor Fashion Capsules
Parks Project Sets out to Preserve National Parks
Camping Ice Cream Promotions
Dometic's First Night Out Entices New Campers to Get Outdoors
Real-World Business Ideas
People Problems Discovers Real Business Opportunities From Daily Needs
Homelessness-Supporting Blanket Designs
LANY's Paul Klein & Sackcloth & Ashes Debut a Chic Blanket
Broken Bike Lock Furniture
Design Students Showcase the People and Places Exhibition
Displaced Families Initiatives
The HOPE Foundation Supports Those Affected by Wildfires in LA
Resilience-Celebrating Cancer Campaigns
Extended Stay America Joins American Cancer Society
Leftover Sandwich Campaigns
The Hellmanns' 'Between 2 Slices' Campaign Tackles Food Waste
Eco Meal Program Initiatives
The Home Chef Food Rescue Program Redirects Surplus and Waste
Child Neglect-Focused Campaigns
Vantage Foundation Partners with SOS Children's Villages Portugal
Social Housing Unit Blocks
Joan J Fortuny & Alventosa Morell Arquitectes Forms 54 Social Housing
Ad Inspiration Archives
Nobody Reads Ads Showcases Print and Outdoor Ads With Notable Success
Car Safety-Promoting PSAs
The Ad Council and NHTSA Have Launched a New Never Happens Campaign
Food Insecurity-Addressing Partnerships
TUMS and Second Harvest Address Food Insecurity in Canada
Food Allergy Awareness Campaigns
Fare's PSA is Backed by NFL Player Jason McCourty & His Daughter
Housing Affordability-Focused Campaigns
The Housing Canada Coalition Runs 'End the Housing Game'
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Youth Homelessness-Centered Data Tools
SchoolHouse Connection Partners with the Poverty Solutions
Carefully Vetted Homestays
Adventure Homestay Connects Travelers to Host Families
Children's Illustrated Book Campaigns
The 'One in 100' Initiative Spotlights the Medically Complex
Inventive Charity Initiatives
Spark Financial's Annual Charity Initiative is for Autism Awareness
Sustainable Minimal Compact Homes
The Team at Lou Tiny House Creates a New Compact Home
Inclusivity-Centric Back-To-School Campaigns
Sistema Launched a Back-To-School Survey
California-Inspired Tiny Homes
Modern Tiny Living Designs the Buxton Home for Four People
Refugee-Supporting Workplace Initiatives
IKEA is Extending its Refugee Employment Pilot
Collaborative Homelessness Initiatives
AMH Joins HomeAid to Address the Homelessness Crisis
Affordable Back-To-School Events
Men's Closet Hosts Two Notable Events in Orlando, Florida
City-Wide Food Drive Events
VGTNYC Supports City Harvest Through a Food Drive Event
Shared Kitchen Initatives
Metro & Food Banks of Quebec Address Food Insecurity
Flexible Kitchen Rental Options
Maker Kitchens Teams Up with Blt Kitchens on Flexible Rentals
Peaceful Compact Vibrant Residences
Dragon Tiny Homes Designs a New Home on a Triple Axle Trailer
Accessible Home Services Marketplaces
Urban Company Recently Made Its Platform More Accessible
Elderly-Catered Journal Concepts
The Dual-Screen Journal Concept Captures Important Memories
Crisis Response Services
Charity Launches a Free Community Crisis Response Service for Tragedies
Re-Branded Housing Nonprofit Organization
Bridges to Housing Stability Modernizes Its Brand Image